Kalanchoe blossfeldiana cultivar Gelai.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Kalanchoe plant, botanically known as Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Gelaixe2x80x99.
The new Kalanchoe is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to create new freely-branching and freely-flowering Kalanchoe cultivars with attractive foliage and flower coloration.
The new Kalanchoe originated from a cross made by the Inventor in 1998 of the Kalanchoe blossfeldiana cultivar Gede, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with the Kalanchoe blossfeldiana cultivar Alexandra, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,262, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Gelai was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in De Lier, The Netherlands.
Asexual reproduction of the new Kalanchoe by terminal vegetative cuttings taken at De Lier, The Netherlands, since 1998 has shown that the unique features of this new Kalanchoe are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The cultivar Gelai has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Gelaixe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Gelaixe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Numerous yellow-colored flowers.
2. Upright and uniform plant habit.
3. Freely branching growth habit.
4. Dark green glossy leaves.
5. Early flowering.
6. Excellent postproduction longevity.
Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the female parent, the cultivar Gede. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Kalanchoe differed from plants of the cultivar Gede in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe were more compact and less vigorous than plants of the cultivar Gede.
2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe had smaller and glossier leaves than plants of the cultivar Gede.
3. Flower color of plants of the new Kalanchoe was darker yellow than flower color of plants of the cultivar Gede.
4. Plants of the new Kalanchoe flowered earlier than plants of the cultivar Gede.
Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the male parent, the cultivar Alexandra. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Kalanchoe differed from plants of the cultivar Alexandra in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe had glossier leaves than plants of the cultivar Alexandra.
2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe flowered earlier than plants of the cultivar Alexandra.
Plants of the new Kalanchoe can also be compared to plants of the Kalanchoe cultivar Goldstrike, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,632. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Kalanchoe differed from plants of the cultivar Goldstrike in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe were more vigorous than plants of the cultivar Goldstrike.
2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe were more freely branching than plants of the cultivar Goldstrike.
3. Plants of the new Kalanchoe had glossier leaves than plants of the cultivar Goldstrike.
4. Flower color of plants of the new Kalanchoe was yellow whereas flower color of plants of the cultivar Goldstrike was yellow orange.
5. Plants of the new Kalanchoe flowered earlier than plants of the cultivar Goldstrike.